Spondylolisthesis is defined as the slippage of one vertebra over another. When the posterior bony elements are dissociated from the anterior column, high shear forces on the disc can lead to slippage of the vertebral bodies on one another. There are five types: dysplastic isthmic, degenerative, traumatic, and pathological. Biomechanical models are limited and attempt to replicate on isthmic and degenerative etiologies. From a clinical standpoint, several studies have explored the relative efficacy of surgical versus non-operative treatment and among surgical treatments, the need for decompression and fusion vs decompression alone. While several landmark studies have established several guides to surgical treatment, the lack of consensus on the use of different surgical approaches leaves room for future work.